Bottle-stopper



(No Model.) 4

` J. A. TRAUT.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

' 10.397,449, Patented Peb..5, 1889.

Nrrnn @rares Arent trice.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,449, dated February 5, 1889. Application filed November 1'7, l888 Serial No. 291,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .T usrUs A. Timur, a citi- Zen of theUnited States,residingat N ew Britain, in the county of Ilartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers, of which the follmving is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bottle-stoppersof the class in which a portion of the stopper is expanded within the neck of the bottle, and the main objects of my invention are to prevent the stopper from beingexl in liig. L.

panded in they attempt to remove it when it adheres to the neck ot the bottle, and in gen-- eral to improve the convenience and efficiency of the stopper.

In the aecompallying drawings, Figure l a side elevation of my stopper as expanded within the neck of a bottle, said neck being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a side clevation of my stopper with the expansible portion contracted; and Fig. il is a vertical section, partly in elevation, on lino :r a'. of Fig. l, with the expansible portion expanded.

A designates the neck of a bottle having my stopper secured therein.

1t designates the upper section of my stopper, which is made tapering in form, and its upper end is intended to be of a size that will fill the month of the bottleand form a rest to determine the position of the stopper when it is placed therein. The .lower end otl this section +L is provided with a conical face, l2, as shown in Figs. 2 and Il. This upper section is also perforated axially and the rod 5 passes tlnfough said perforation. The upper end of this rod slotted, and has pivoted.

within it the cam l, which cam is provided with a liner-handle, 7, as shown. l Il' the upper section, il, is formed of wood or other soft substance, I prefer to face its upper end with a metal piece, S, Fig. Il, for the cam to work against, so as to decrease the wear. The lower end of the rod is screw-threaded and provided with an adjusting-nut, 9, the upper end of which is flat, as shown in Figs. 2 and S. This nut is preferably made of hard rubber or other non corrosive material, and its threaded hole does not extend entirely through the nut, whereby said nut is provided with a solid lower end that excludes the entry of any material through the nut to the metallic rod upon which it is screweifl. The lower end of this nut is milled or knurled to facilitate turning it. j

Between the cone face l2 of the upper section, Li, and the opposing upper iiat face of the nut 9, I arrange a perforated cylindrical block, l0, of soft rubber, the perforation extending' longitudinally. The iiat upper end of the nut 9 should be of a diameter which equals that of the perforated cylindrical rubberbloek l0 when it isnot expanded, as shown I prefer, also, to make the upper section, l, of hard rubber or wood or other non-corrosive material; but, inasmuch as said section is above the perforated cylindrical rubber block lO, its material is not so important as is the material oli" which the nut 9 is composed.

In use the cam-lever is lifted .into the position illustrated in Fig. 53, and the complete stopper is placed within the neck of the bottle until the upper section, .4, comes to a rest, as shown in l. The lever 7 is then depressed to elevate the nut if), thereby forcing the opposing faces of the upper section, 4., and nut together, when the cone face l2 of the section. 4 expands the perforated cyliit drical rubber block lO, so that it snugly fills the neel( of the bottle, as illustrated in Fig. l. In case one motion of the lever and cam is not suliicient to expand the perforated cylindrical rubber block l0, so as to stop the bottle firmly, the stopper may be removed and the nut 9 screwed farther upon the rod 5 to give a greater degree of expansion. A less degree of expansion may be attained, if desired, by unscrewing the nut.

My stopper will be generally used in bot tles which are opened after transportation in order to save such portion of the contents as may not be used upon first opening the bottle. In case, however, it should be desired to use this stopper in bottles during transportation a string or wire may be passed through the perfoation in the outer end of the leverhandle 7 and around the neck of the bottle to prevent an accidental movement of said lever.

In case the stopper shall .remain expanded .me

within the mouth of the bottle until it be comes quite dry and adheres to the neck of the bottle even after the pressure of the cam is removed, it may readily be pulled out, because the upper face of the nut is 'Hat and of a size equal to the normal size of the perforated cylindrical rubber block, and therefore pulling upon the stopper to remove it does not vfurther expand the rubber and bind it firmly upon the neck of the bottle.

I am aware that a prior patent shows a bottle-stopper consistin of a ri iig-shaped rnbber cushion, central rod, a cam, and two opposing cone 'faces drawn together by said cam, and other patents show a central rod, operating mechanism, and a cone :face for impinging against the lower end of a rubber stopper, and still another shows a central rod, 1,

cam, and opposing faces, with a barrel-shaped l tube of elastic rubber, the lower end oi' which rests in a concave seat. All of said prior art is hereby'disclaim ed. I also disclaim the employmentin bottle-Stoppers of anon-corrosive material.

I claim as my invention The con'ibination of the upper section, 4, havingl a lower conical face, .12,tlie rod 5, cam (3, perforated cylindrical block of soft rubber, and the nut 9, screw-threaded upon the lower end of the rod 5 and having` a flat upper face, substantially as described, and for the purpose speciiied.

JUSTUS A. TRAUT.

IVii-iiessesz JAMES SHEPARD, JOHN EDWARDS, Jr. 

